1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of purchase item security devices and price display tags. More specifically, the present invention relates to a purchase item security and information tag apparatus for secure attachment to a purchase item in a store.
The apparatus preferably includes a tag body in the form of a flat, rectangular shell containing purchase item information display means for retaining item data in machine readable form. The data stored in the information display means includes the item price as well as optional item weight, volume and merchandise category data. The information display means may include a bar code, a magnetic strip, or a computer RAM chip. One or more digital display panels are preferably provided to display the purchase item price, size and other individual item characteristics in a form discernable by the human eye. The apparatus also preferably includes a tag security mechanism including an elongate item engaging member which either sounds an alarm powered by a battery or spoils the item with dye if cut away from the item by a customer prior to check-out. The item engaging member may take either a loop configuration or the common "T" configuration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have recently been several check-out purchase item marking and processing devices which are intended to provide item data and security during item check-out. These devices have generally not been equipped to reliably and conveniently secure the purchase items against theft or price tag switching.
Such prior devices include Humble, U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,053, issued on Oct. 16, 1990, which teaches an apparatus for self-checkout of produce items. Humble processes both UPC identified articles and non-coded articles such as produce. The customer enters an icon at a monitor identifying a purchase item and the weight of the item is checked against data stored for the given icon. A problem with Humble is that the variety of purchase items which can be checked in this way is limited to the number of available icons. Another problem is that the customer might cause the correct item to be weighed and then switch the item for another more expensive one before paying. Another problem is that the icon does not sound a store exit alarm if removed without being checked-out.
Wolf, U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,747, issued on Sep. 8, 1987, discloses an article security system. A customer selects purchase items and places them at one end of a check-out aisle. The customer proceeds along a path separated from the item path to prevent customer contact with the items during check-out. The customer path is equipped with an electronic surveillance system which sounds an alarm if the customer passes through it with a tagged item. A problem with Wolf is that the customer might remove a tag and walk out with the items or switch item tags with less expensive items.
Rimondi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,356, issued on Mar. 20, 1990, reveals a self-service check-out counter. The Rimondi, et al. counter incorporates an integral apparatus for on-demand manufacturing of custom-sized bags conforming to the volume of articles received in the bags. A counter having a data entry keyboard is provided at which the customer individually scans purchase items, and then the customer places the items into the bag-forming apparatus. A bag is formed corresponding to the size and weight parameters of the various purchase items, this data being entered by the customer on the keyboard. Devices are also provided for preventing pilferage, fraud and inadvertent errors. Another problem is that the customer must perform the time-consuming and tedious task of manually entering item data for each purchase, making for customer inconvenience and slow check-out lines. Another problem is that the customer might falsify data.
Toner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,906, issued on Apr. 3, 1990, teaches an automatic bag system for a supermarket check-out counter. Sheet plastic is fed into an open top of a purchase item loading compartment located next to a conventional item scanner in a check-out counter. Purchase items are loaded into the compartment above the plastic sheeting and the sheeting is urged inwardly within the loading compartment to assume the shape of the contained items. Then edges of the sheeting are heated to bond together into a sealed purchase item bag. Problems with Toner are that the bagging system does nothing to prevent customer tampering of items and their price tags during checking.
Hultaker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,928, issued on May 29, 1990, discloses a magnetized ink, paint or dye used on purchase items to prevent theft. The ink to be applied on the purchase items is mixed with magnetized particles which sound an alarm if carried through a store exit sensor. The particles are demagnetized upon item checking and customer payment. A problem with Hultaker is that the magnetic ink does not prevent the customer from switching item price tags during or prior to checkout. Another problem with Hultaker is that customer self-checkout is apparently not an option, since an employee must verify that payment is made before demagnetizing the ink.
Johnsen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,684, issued on Sep. 29, 1992, reveals an electronic inventory label and security apparatus. Johnsen is provides item data storage tags which are secured to purchase items with connecting members. The tags have item data including price, accounting and inventory control data stored on them in machine readable form, and include item security means. Cutting the connecting member prior to checkout breaks an electric circuit and sounds an alarm in the tag. A problem with Johnsen is that tag re-use may not be practical because of no clear means being provided for attaching a new connecting member.
Bengtsson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,045, issued on Dec. 8, 1992, teaches a price tag deactivator, where the tags include bar codes and alarm activating magnetic strips. Bengtsson includes several rows of permanent magnets disposed in a plane substantially parallel with the plane in which the tag bar code on a purchase item is located. The magnetic poles bring about tag deactivation. A problem with Bengtsson is that no workable provision is made to prevent purchase item switching or tag tampering before or during check-out.
Pavlidis, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,786, issued on Apr. 19, 1994, reveals a high density two-dimensional bar code symbol. A nonvolatile electro-optical read-only memory includes a substrate on which is printed a complex symbol with a high density two-dimensional configuration. Component symbols or codewords are provided in alternating rows. A problem with Pavlidis, et al., is that, while it provides a data storage function, it lacks any significant purchase item security function.
Wieschemann, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,107, issued on May 31, 1994, discloses a device for checking out purchase items. Wieschemann, et al., includes a check-out apparatus which checks items automatically or manually as the items are presented to the apparatus. A problem with Wieschemann, et al., is that item security against price tag tampering and switching is minimal.
Wolfe, Jr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,970, issued on Aug. 23, 1994 teaches a purchase item check-out system with security parameter override capacity. The Wolfe, Jr., et al. apparatus is intended to automatically check out purchase items bearing an identification code. The apparatus includes a code reader generating output signals indicative of the article identification codes, a sensor generating output signal indicative of measurable item characteristics, a memory for storage for each of the articles, an article rejector and various other item processing elements. A problem with Wolfe, Jr., et al., is that a customer might circumvent the system by removing a price tag.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a security and information tag apparatus which retains data about the item to which it is attached in machine readable form for rapid and accurate check-out.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which alerts store employees to unauthorized apparatus removal with a re-usable electric and/or magnetic alarm or a dye-loaded item tag anchoring members.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is suitable for both store employee operated check-out and for customer self-checkout and which is easy for an average customer to understand and use.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is relatively simple in design and inexpensive to manufacture.